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Victory & City will struggle to survive Melbourne derby defeat

Second spot in the A-League and the best chance to win the championship will effectively be on the line at Etihad Stadium

Some might argue that all derbies are must-win matches but the importance of Saturday night's all-Melbourne clash is even greater than normal as a loss could be fatal to Victory and City's A-League championship hopes.

Both Victory and City will enter the derby at Etihad Stadium in poor form and knowing three points could be decisive in the race for a top-two finish.

Sydney FC's 2-1 win over Victory last week has effectively ended the battle for first place and the A-League premiership.